1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a medicine storage apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, medicine containers, such as ampoules, vials, boxes, bottles, and bags, have been used at medical sites for the purpose of containing various medicines. For example, ampoules and vials are used to contain injections, such as liquid drugs and contrast media; boxes and bottles are used to contain medicines, such as tablets, powders and auxiliary medicines; and bottles and bags are used to contain transfusions.
For example, before an operation is started in an operating room, the medicine containers are appropriately classified and arranged for preparation. In order to avoid a shortage of medicine during treatment of various kinds, ample medicine containers are prepared. Medicine containers which remain unused after completion of an operation are returned to, for example, a pharmacy.
Meanwhile, the amount of medicine consumed during treatment must be confirmed. This work of confirmation is carried out by direct medical practitioners, such as nurses, or by medical assistants through counting of medicine containers disposed of in a disposal container, such as a buckets The direct medical practitioners or medical assistants must enter the amount of consumed medicine into a medicine management document or into a medicine inventory control computer. Such work is troublesome.
In order to cope with the problem, medical sites have introduced a medicine storage apparatus equipped with an automatic delivery mechanism for delivering medicine containers as needed. Users can confirm the amount of consumed medicine on the basis of the state of delivery of medicine containers. The medicine storage apparatus includes detection means, such as medicine container sensors, measuring means, or counting means, in order to detect the state of delivery of medicine containers. Upon reduction in the number of medicine containers stored in the medicine storage apparatus, a user replenishes the apparatus with medicine containers.
However, the above-mentioned conventional medicine storage apparatus requires a user to press a predetermined switch or to pull out a predetermined drawer when the user is to take out a medicine container from the apparatus. Such work is troublesome.
The medicine storage apparatus equipped with medicine container sensors requires the medicine container sensors to be disposed on a one-to-one basis with respect to medicine containers, increasing a cost of the medicine storage apparatus.
The medicine storage apparatus equipped with measuring means is adapted to measure the total weight of medicine containers to thereby calculate the number of medicine containers stored therein on the basis of a unit weight. Thus, the accuracy of calculating the number of stored medicine containers is low.
The medicine storage apparatus equipped with counting means is adapted to count the number of those medicine containers which have moved when a storage shelf is drawn out. Thus, the number of stored medicine containers cannot be counted unless a shelf is drawn out.
Furthermore, for example, when a plurality of cassettes are used in order to classify medicine containers according to type, the medicine storage apparatus can merely detect whether or not each of the cassettes is empty. In this case, since the medicine storage apparatus is not replenished with medicine containers until one or more of the cassettes become empty, it requires time before replenishment, resulting that medicine in need may not be available when need for the medicine arises.
Thus, the medicine storage apparatus fails to be reliably replenished with medicine containers on the basis of the state of delivery of medicine containers therefrom.
An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems involved in the conventional medicine storage apparatus and to provide a medicine storage apparatus enabling a user to take out a medicine container(s) therefrom in a simple manner and to replenish the same with medicine containers in a reliable, prompt manner on the basis of the state of delivery of medicine containers therefrom.
To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a medicine storage apparatus comprising: a cassette having an inlet-outlet opening for delivering/receiving items of medicine therethrough and adapted to store items of medicine arranged in array while a force is applied to the items of medicine toward the inlet-outlet opening; support means for supporting the cassette while the inlet-outlet opening is exposed; and counting means for counting the number of items of medicine stored in the cassette.
A user takes out items of medicine stored in the cassette from the inlet-outlet opening in an arrayed sequence when the medicine is to be used. Among the delivered items of medicine, unused items of medicine are pushed back into the cassette through the inlet-outlet opening.
Accordingly, the user may array items of medicine in the cassette according to expiration dates, thereby suppressing the frequent occurrence of expiration of medicine, even when the medicine is frequently delivered from and returned back to the cassette.
Since the inlet-outlet opening of the cassette is exposed, when the user is to take out medicine from or place medicine into the cassette, the user can visually confirm the medicine. Thus, the user can take out medicine from or return unused medicine back to the cassette in a simple manner.
Since the counting means calculates the number of items of medicine stored in each cassette, even when the medicine is frequently delivered from and returned back to the cassettes, the user can accurately know the state of storage of medicine in real time. Thus, the user can replenish medicine containers reliably and promptly on the basis of state of delivery of medicine.